July 8, 2013 – Cholita Bowlers: A Statement of Style and Substance

By: Emily Hammock

Writer and traveler Emily Hammock gives us a little history lesson on cholita style.

Seeing rows and rows of black, brown and grey bowler hats may have you thinking you’ve traveled back in time but rest assured—this is La Paz, 2013. The bowler hat may have gone the way of the monocle and the pocketwatch in North America and Europe, but its popularity has held strong in Bolivia. Who’s responsible for this enduring Bolivian fashion trend? That would be the cholitas, indigenous Bolivian women who’ve got a certain sartorial flair.

The history of the bowler in South America is murky at best. The Aymara, an indigenous group native to the Andes region of South America, were the first to sport the felt toppers. Legend has it that when an opportunistic European tradesman discovered that a shipment of hats intended for gringo railway engineers were made too small, he marketed them instead to local women. From there, bowler-mania caught fire.

As dapper as bowler hats may be, they are by no means the only noteworthy piece of a cholita’s wardrobe. The streets of La Paz swish with the sound of these cholitas’ petticoat-like skirts, inspired by the fashions of 17th century European landowners. Up to 5 metres of fabric are used to construct the layers upon layers of the pollera skirts, giving the women the look of inverted cupcakes. Laced boots, ruffled shirts and shawls complete the ensemble, to masterful effect.

For the visitor, the cholita ensemble may seem exotic, even comically quaint. But the bowler hats and their attendant outfits represent more than an homage to the past. The unique outfits of the cholitas reflect a growing pride in Aymara heritage and are not uncommon in the upper-echelons of La Paz’s economic and political spheres. With their hats in place, the cholitas are ready to do business.

Emily Hammock: Emily is an avid traveler and lover of all things antique, vintage and just plain old. By day, she works as a communications specialist at a top university. By night, she studies Global Affairs, plans her upcoming wedding, and dreams of her next trip!